Middleboro’s Kaplinger rewarded for his sacrifice on Thanksgiving Day

Friday

Nov 25, 2011 at 12:01 AMNov 25, 2011 at 1:41 PM

Senior Derick Kaplinger makes a triumphant return to the backfield, producing 117 yards in total offense, two touchdowns and a two-point conversion as the Sachems snap an eight-game losing streak with a 35-0 romp over Carver.

Glen Farley

Derick Kaplinger returned to his old stomping grounds.

“We were short a lineman. I was a captain. You had to step up and make some sacrifices to help out the team,” the Middleboro senior said early Thursday afternoon, reflecting on his final high school football season. “So I sacrificed playing running back and fullback. I played center and I was all right at it.

“I was a lineman back in the day. I played tackle in youth football. But I love running back. When I got to high school, I played fullback and running back. I missed it. There’s no better feeling than scoring a touchdown.”

Oh, what a feeling for Kaplinger, who was responsible for 117 yards in total offense and scored two touchdowns and a two-point conversion as the Sachems snapped an eight-game losing streak and seized an 11-9 lead in their Thanksgiving Day series with Carver by routing the Crusaders, 35-0, at Battis Field.

For Kaplinger, it was a going-away present from a first-year head coach whose installation of a one-back offense prompted him to step out of the backfield and into the middle of the offensive line.

“Nobody knew going into this week that we were going to move him from the offensive line to running back,” Sachems head coach Pat Kingman said. “I made the decision, not last Friday, but the Friday before when I was driving. I said, ‘The kid’s bit the bullet for us all year long, played center.’ (Senior running back) Josh Teri went down (with a broken hand).

“I said, ‘You know what? He deserves it. He’s played running back his whole life. Let’s give him the ball and see if he can do something special.’ I think he proved that. He played his butt off today and he sets the tone for us. He doesn’t have to say anything. Defensively (at linebacker), he runs to the football and hits people hard. That’s what he does for us.”

While Kaplinger was running with the ball (five carries for 46 yards and one touchdown) and catching it (three receptions for 71 yards and another TD) on offense and running to the ball on defense, the Crusaders never could get anything generated as they finished the season with an eight-game losing streak and the same 2-9 record as Middleboro.

“I started seven sophomores and three freshmen and they got a lot of experience. That’s how I look at it,” Carver head coach Mike Fraccalossi said. “Three-quarters of the game you’re on the field (on defense), you’re not going to win.

“We only had two first downs (and 35 yards in total offense). (There was) no momentum on our side.”

While Kaplinger may have played the lead role and set the tone, the Sachems also got a standout performance, offensively, from junior Andrew Card at quarterback. The converted wide receiver, who assumed the signal-calling duties after Troy Rossi and Alex Bean both went down with injuries, was 6-for-11 for 115 passing yards and three TDs.

Sophomore Lucas Poteau added TD receptions of 20 and 16 yards and a 37-yard run at slotback. He also intercepted a pass at defensive back and brought it back 50 yards.

Junior lineman Josh Dyer enjoyed solid days on both sides of the ball for the Sachems.

Defensively, junior Wayne Montrand intercepted a pass and came up with an errant pitchout and returned it 18 yards for a score. Classmate Vasili Papathanasiou was immense up front for the Sachems, who built a 21-point halftime lead.

“When you get a new program, everybody says you’ve got to lay the foundation,” said Kingman. “For the first, probably, eight weeks or so, we were digging a hole. I think the last couple of weeks, we poured the cement for the foundation. I think, today, we took the forms off a little bit. We started building what we want to do around here.”

For Kingman, it may have been a start. For Kaplinger, it was a terrific finish.

“It makes the season,” said Kaplinger. “Forget the rest of the games. We’re 1-0.”